2016/12/30
ARLINGTON, TX — A video is making the rounds online showing a police officer who forced a teen to make a choice: either go to jail or do 200 pushups.
It all started when Officer Eric Ball discovered that the teen had been smoking marijuana, according to reports.
What happened next was completely unexpected.
Rather than citing the teen or arresting him, Officer Ball gave him a way out — dropping to the ground doing 200 pushups.
“One thing that my department pushes is for us to have compassion,” said Officer Ball.
Adding that the idea was to “think outside the box.”
Officer Ball has been commended by many, but some are saying that it was an abuse of power.
“I just wanted to kinda teach him a lesson, to use that situation as a learning tool,” Officer Ball says.
“He was real respectful. So I told him you have two options: he could go to jail or he could give me 200 push ups.”
The teen obviously made the rational choice, and went with the pushups.
The ordeal was filmed and uploaded to Facebook.
As for the teen, he says he’s learned his lesson.
What do you think? Is Officer Ball showing compassion by letting the teen exercise instead of going to jail, or was this an abuse of power?
Watch the video below: